Semiconductor package having through electrodes that reduce leakage current and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A stacked semiconductor package having through electrodes that exhibit a reduced leakage current and a method of making the same are presented. The stacked semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip, through-holes, and a current leakage prevention layer. The semiconductor chip has opposing first and second surfaces. The through-holes pass entirely through the semiconductor chip and are exposed at the first and second surfaces. A polarized part is formed on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the semiconductor chip. The through-electrodes are disposed within the through-holes. The current leakage prevention layer covers the polarized part and exposes ends of the through-electrodes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Korean patent applicationnumber 10-2009-0073506 filed on Aug. 10, 2009, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor package and a methodfor manufacturing the same.

In these modern times, semiconductor chips that are capable of storingand processing huge amounts of data within relatively short periods oftimes and their corresponding semiconductor packages are in high demand.

Recently, in order to improve the data storage capacities and dataprocessing speeds of a semiconductor package, stacked semiconductorpackages, in which at least two semiconductor chips are stacked, havebeen disclosed in the art.

Conventional stacked semiconductor packages have their semiconductorchips electrically connected by conductive bonding wires. However, inthe case where the semiconductor chips are electrically connected by theconductive bonding wires, due to differences in lengths of theconductive bonding wires, problems can arise that make it difficult toprocess data at a high speeds and at high volumes.

Lately, in order to cope with the problems of the conventional stackedsemiconductor package, a technique of electrically connectingsemiconductor chips using through-electrodes passing throughsemiconductor chips has been suggested.

Nevertheless, in the case where the semiconductor chips which areelectrically connected using the through-electrodes unwanted currentleakages can occur. Also, in order to prevent the occurrence of currentleakage, it is necessary to form an insulation pattern through verycomplicated patterning processes including a deposition process, aphotolithographic process, an etching process, a cleaning process, etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a semiconductorpackage which can reduce leakage current and significantly decrease thenumber of processes for realizing the reduction of leakage current,thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor package andreducing the manufacturing cost.

Also, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method formanufacturing the semiconductor device.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor packagecomprises a semiconductor chip having a first surface, a second surfacewhich faces away from the first surface, through-holes which passthrough the first and second surfaces, and a polarized part which isformed on at least one of the first and second surfaces;through-electrodes disposed in the through-holes; and a current leakageprevention layer covering the polarized part and exposing ends of thethrough-electrodes.

The polarized part may include any one of a hydrophilic part and ahydrophobic part.

The polarized part may contain a hydrophilic substance that has ahydrophilic group.

The semiconductor package may further comprise connection membersdisposed on at least ones of both ends of the through-electrodes.

The connection members may contain solder.

The connection members may include a nickel layer and a gold layer onthe nickel layer.

The connection members may include a copper layer and a tin-silver layeron the copper layer.

At least two semiconductor chips may be stacked, and through-electrodesof the semiconductor chips may be aligned with each other at the samepositions.

The semiconductor package may further comprise an insulation layerinterposed between the through-electrodes the semiconductor chip,wherein the current leakage prevention layer covers ends of theinsulation layer.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method formanufacturing a semiconductor package comprises the steps of formingthrough-electrodes which pass through a first surface and a secondsurface, facing away from the first surface, of a semiconductor chip;forming first polarized parts onto ends of the through-electrodes thatcorresponds to at least one of the first surface and the second surfaceand second polarized parts, having a polarity opposite to that of thefirst polarized parts, onto the at least one of the first surface andthe second surface excluding the first polarized parts; forming acurrent leakage prevention layer on the second polarized parts using acurrent leakage prevention substance that reacts with the secondpolarized parts; and forming connection members onto at least one endsof the through-electrodes.

Before the step of forming the through-electrodes, the method mayfurther comprise the steps of defining through-holes which pass throughthe first and second surfaces of the semiconductor chip; and forming aninsulation layer on inner surfaces of the semiconductor chip which areformed by defining the through-holes.

In the step of forming the current leakage prevention layer, the currentleakage prevention layer may cover exposed ends of the insulation layer.

Before the step of forming the connection members, the method mayfurther comprise the step of removing the first polarized parts from theends of the through-electrodes.

The step of forming the connection members may comprise the steps offorming a nickel layer on at least one ends of the through-electrodes;and forming a gold layer on the nickel layer.

The step of forming the connection members may comprise the steps offorming a copper layer on at least one ends of the through-electrodes;and forming an alloy layer of tin and silver on the copper layer.

The first polarized parts may contain any one of a hydrophilic substanceand a hydrophobic substance, and the second polarized parts may containremaining one of the hydrophilic substance and the hydrophobicsubstance.

The second polarized parts may contain a hydrophilic substance having ahydrophilic group.

The method may further comprise the step of forming additional firstpolarized parts on the other ends of the through-electrodes whichcorrespond to the first surface and additional second polarized parts,having a polarity opposite to that of the additional first polarizedparts, on the first surface excluding the additional first polarizedparts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 through 7 are cross-sectional views illustrating a method formanufacturing a semiconductor package in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is understood herein that the drawings are not necessarily to scaleand in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order tomore clearly depict certain features of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a semiconductor package 100 includes asemiconductor chip 10, through-electrodes 20 and a current leakageprevention layer 30.

Of course, semiconductor chips 10 can shaped in any known geometricshape in which a rectangular hexahedral shape of the semiconductor chip10 will be presented here as an example for illustrative purposes. Thesemiconductor chip 10 possessing the rectangular hexahedral shape has afirst surface 1 and a second surface 2 which faces away from the firstsurface 1. A circuit section (not shown) having a data storage unit (notshown) for storing data and a data processing unit (not shown) forprocessing data is disposed in the semiconductor chip 10.

The semiconductor chip 10 further includes a polarized part 5 thatcontains a hydrophilic substance or a hydrophobic substance. Thepolarized part 5 can be disposed on at least one of the first surface 1and the second surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10.

In the embodiment, the polarized part 5 can contain a hydrophilic group(—OH).

In the embodiment, for example, the polarized part 5 is formed on thesecond surface 2 and has a hydrophilic substance. Unlike this, thepolarized part 5 can be formed not only on the second surface 2 but alsoon the first surface 1, and can contain a hydrophobic substance.

The through-electrodes 20 pass through the first surface 1 and thesecond surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10. Examples of materialsthat can be used to form the through-electrodes 20 include copper,aluminum, gold and silver. The through-electrodes 20 may have any3-dimensional shape such as a square columnar shape, a rectangularcolumnar shape, a hexagonal columnar shape in which it a cylindricalcolumnar shape is preferred.

The semiconductor chip 10 can further include an insulation layer 8. Theinsulation layer 8 is interposed between the through-electrodes 20 andthe inner surfaces of the semiconductor chip 10. The insulation layer 8can comprise an organic layer or an inorganic layer.

The current leakage prevention layer 30 is formed on the polarized part5 which is formed on at least one of the first surface 1 and the secondsurface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10. The current leakage preventionlayer 30 contains a substance that chemically reacts with thehydrophilic substance contained in the polarized part 5. The currentleakage prevention layer 30 is preferably not formed where the polarizedpart 5 is not formed. For example, the current leakage prevention layer30 is not formed on ends of the through-electrodes 20.

In an embodiment, the current leakage prevention layer 30 can also coverends of the insulation layer 8 that insulates the through-electrodes 20and the semiconductor chip 10 from each other so that current leakage isprevented.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Thesemiconductor package shown in FIG. 2 has substantially the sameconstruction as the semiconductor package described above with referenceto FIG. 1, except connection members. Therefore, description for thesame component parts will be omitted herein, and the same technicalterms and the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the sameor like component parts.

Referring to FIG. 2, a semiconductor package 100 includes asemiconductor chip 10, through-electrodes 20, a current leakageprevention layer 30, and connection members 40.

The connection members 40 function to electrically connect thethrough-electrodes 20 of respective semiconductor chips 10 when stakingat least two semiconductor chips 10.

The connection members 40 can be disposed on at least one ends of bothends of the through-electrodes 20.

Each connection member 40 can, for example, have a single-layeredstructure and can contain solder.

Meanwhile, each connection member 40 can, for example, have amulti-layered structure and can include a first connection member 42 anda second connection member 44.

In an embodiment, the first connection member 42 can comprise anyelectroconductive material such as a copper, aluminum, gold, silver andnickel in which it is preferred that the first connection member 42comprises nickel. The second connection member 44 can also comprise anyelectroconductive material such as a copper, aluminum, gold, silver andnickel, in which it is preferred that the second connection member 44comprises a gold. Unlike this, the first connection member 42 cancomprise a copper layer, and the second connection member 44 cancomprise an alloy layer of tin and silver. In the embodiment, the firstand second connection members 42 and 44 of the connection member 40 cancomprise plated layers which are respectively formed by platingprocesses.

In the embodiment, the connection members 40 project from the surface ofthe current leakage prevention layer 30 by a predetermined height.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor package inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Thesemiconductor chips, through-electrodes and current leakage preventionlayers of the semiconductor package shown in FIG. 3 are constructed insubstantially the same manner as in the semiconductor package describedabove with reference to FIG. 1. Therefore, description for the samecomponent parts will be omitted herein, and the same technical terms andthe same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or likecomponent parts.

Referring to FIG. 3, a semiconductor package 100 includes at least twosemiconductor chips 10, through-electrodes 20, current leakageprevention layers 30, connection members 40, gapfill members 60, amolding member 70, and a substrate 80.

As shown, at least two semiconductor chips 10 are stacked. Thethrough-electrodes 20, which pass through the semiconductor chips 10,are aligned with each other so that their respective through-electrodes20 of the semiconductor chip 10 connected which each other.

The through-electrodes 20 of the stacked semiconductor chips 10 whichface each other are electrically connected with each other via theconnection members 40. One embodiment of the connection member 40 caninclude a nickel layer and a gold layer which is placed on the nickellayer. Another embodiment of the connection member 40 can include acopper layer and an alloy layer of tin and silver which is placed on thecopper layer. Yet another embodiment of the connection member 40 is thatit can contain solder.

In the illustrative embodiment, a connection member 40 composed of anickel layer and a gold layer is disposed on the lower end of eachthrough-electrode 20 of the upwardly placed semiconductor chip 10, and aconnection member 40 composed of a copper layer and an alloy layer oftin and silver is disposed on the upper end of each through-electrode 20of the downwardly placed semiconductor chip 10. The connection members40 are electrically and physically connected together to each other.

Of course, the substrate 80 has any known geometric shape in which aplate shape for the substrate 80 will be discussed herein. Connectionpads 82 are disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 80, and balllands 84, which are electrically connected the connection pads 82, aredisposed on the lower surface of the substrate 80 which faces away fromthe upper surface. Conductive balls 86 are disposed and electricallyconnected onto the ball lands 84.

The connection members 40 of the downwardly placed semiconductor chip 10are disposed on the connection pads 82 of the substrate 80.

The gapfill members 60 are filled between the upper and lowersemiconductor chips 10 and between the lower semiconductor chip 10 andthe substrate 80.

The molding member 70 encloses the semiconductor chips 10 and protectsthe semiconductor chips 10 from externally applied shocks andvibrations.

FIGS. 4 through 7 are cross-sectional views illustrating a method formanufacturing a semiconductor package in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, in order to manufacture a semiconductor package, asemiconductor chip 10, which is formed with a circuit section having adata storage section (not shown) and a data processing unit (not shown),is first manufactured. Then, blind vias 3 are defined that extenddownward from an upper surface 1 towards a lower surface 2 that facesaway from the upper surface 1 of the semiconductor chip 10. The depth Dof the blind via 3 is less than the thickness T of the semiconductorchip 10.

After the blind vias 3 are defined, an insulation layer 8 is formed onthe inner surfaces and the bottom surfaces of semiconductor chip 10which are formed by defining the blind vias 3. The insulation layer 8can comprise an organic layer or an inorganic layer. The insulationlayer 8 electrically insulates the through-electrodes 20 from therespective semiconductor chip 10.

Afterwards, a metal seed layer is formed to cover the upper surface 1 ofthe semiconductor chip 10 and the side and bottom surfaces of the blindvias 3, and a plating process is conducted using the metal seed layer.As a result, a plated layer is formed on the side and bottom surfaces ofthe blind vias 3 and the upper surface 1 of the semiconductor chip 10.Then, by removing the plated layer which is formed on the upper surface1 of the semiconductor chip 10, through-electrodes 20 can be formedwithin the blind vias 3.

Referring to FIG. 5, the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10 isprocessed by using an etching process and/or a polishing process, bywhich the through-electrodes 20 are formed that pass through the uppersurface 1 and the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10 so thatboth ends of the through-electrodes 20 are exposed outside of thesemiconductor chip 10.

Next, a first polarized part 4 is formed on at least one end of bothends of each through-electrode 20, and a second polarized part 5 isformed on at least one of the upper surface 1 and the lower surface 2 ofthe semiconductor chip 10. In this illustrative embodiment, it ispreferred that the first and second polarized parts 4 and 5 do notoverlap with each other.

In this embodiment, the first polarized part 4, which covers at leastone end of both ends of each through-electrode 20, can contain ahydrophobic substance, and the second polarized part 5, which covers theupper surface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10,can contain a hydrophilic substance. Conversely, the first polarizedpart 4 can contain a hydrophilic substance, and the second polarizedpart 5 can contain a hydrophobic substance.

Referring to FIG. 6, subsequent to when the first and second polarizedparts 4 and 5 are formed on the through-electrodes 20 and thesemiconductor chip 10, a current leakage prevention layer 30 is formedthat covers the upper surface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of thesemiconductor chip 10.

The current leakage prevention layer 30 contains an insulation substancethat reacts with the second polarized part 5.

In the case where the second polarized part 5 which is formed on theupper surface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10contains a hydrophilic substance, the current leakage prevention layer30 contains an insulation substance that reacts with the hydrophilicsubstance.

In the case where the second polarized part 5 which is formed on theupper surface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10contains a hydrophobic substance, the current leakage prevention layer30 contains an insulation substance that reacts with the hydrophobicsubstance.

After the current leakage prevention layer 30 is formed on the uppersurface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10, thefirst polarized part 4 is removed which was covered over the ends of thethrough-electrodes 20 so that the ends of the through-electrodes 20 arenow exposed.

After the current leakage prevention layer 30 is formed on the uppersurface 1 and/or the lower surface 2 of the semiconductor chip 10,connection members 40 are formed at the now exposed ends of thethrough-electrodes 20 as shown in FIG. 7.

The connection members 40 can be formed as a single-layered structure oras a multi-layered structure.

When the connection member 40 is formed as a single-layered structure,the connection member 40 can contain solder. Conversely, when theconnection member 40 is formed as a multi-layered structure, then theconnection member 40 can include a first connection member 42 disposedon the through-electrode 20 and a second connection member 44 disposedon the first connection member 42.

One embodiment is that the first connection member 42 can comprise anickel layer and the second connection member 44 can comprise a goldlayer. Another embodiment is that the first connection member 42 cancomprise a copper layer and the second connection member 44 can comprisean alloy layer of tin and silver.

In other embodiments, the connection members 40 can have a length thatprojects outward away from the current leakage prevention layer 30.

After the connection members 40 are connected to the through-electrodes20, as can be readily seen from FIG. 3, at least two semiconductor chips10 are stacked together. Then, the stacked semiconductor chips 10 areelectrically coupled together by using the connection members 40. Thenthe stacked semiconductor chips 10 along with the connection members 40are then mounted onto a substrate 80 to form the manufacturedsemiconductor package.

As is apparent from the above description, the present inventionprovides advantages in that, a current leakage prevention layer isformed to prevent the occurrence of current leakage from a semiconductorpackage having through-electrodes and a number of processes for formingthe current leakage prevention layer can be decreased.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and the spirit of theinvention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A semiconductor package comprising: a semiconductor chip having afirst surface, a second surface that faces away from the first surface,through-holes that passes through the semiconductor chip at the firstand second surfaces, and a polarized part formed on at least one of thefirst and second surfaces; through-electrodes disposed within thethrough-holes; and a current leakage prevention layer covering thepolarized part and exposing ends of the through-electrodes.
 2. Thesemiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein the polarized partincludes any one of a hydrophilic part and a hydrophobic part.
 3. Thesemiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein the polarized partcontains a hydrophilic substance.
 4. The semiconductor package accordingto claim 1, further comprising connection members disposed on at leastone of both ends of the through-electrodes.
 5. The semiconductor packageaccording to claim 4, wherein the connection members contain solder. 6.The semiconductor package according to claim 4, wherein the connectionmembers include a nickel layer and a gold layer on the nickel layer. 7.The semiconductor package according to claim 4, wherein the connectionmembers include a copper layer and a tin-silver layer on the copperlayer.
 8. The semiconductor package according to claim 1, wherein atleast two semiconductor chips are stacked together by aligning togetherthe through-electrodes of the semiconductor chips at substantially thesame positions.
 9. The semiconductor package according to claim 1,further comprising an insulation layer interposed between thethrough-electrodes the semiconductor chip, wherein the current leakageprevention layer covers ends of the insulation layer.
 10. A method formanufacturing a semiconductor package, the method comprising: formingthrough-electrodes that pass through a first surface and second surface,facing away from the first surface, of the semiconductor chip; formingfirst polarized parts onto ends of the through-electrodes thatcorresponds to at least one of the first surface and the second surfaceand second polarized parts onto the at least one of the first surfaceand the second surface excluding the first polarized parts, the secondpolarized parts having a polarity opposite to that of the firstpolarized parts; forming a current leakage prevention layer on thesecond polarized parts using a current leakage prevention substance thatreacts with the second polarized parts; and forming connection membersonto at least one ends of the through-electrodes.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein, before the step of forming thethrough-electrodes, the method further comprises the steps of: definingthrough-holes that pass through the first and second surfaces of thesemiconductor chip; and forming an insulation layer onto inner surfacesof the semiconductor chip which are formed by the through-holes.
 12. Themethod according to claim 11, wherein when forming the current leakageprevention layer, the current leakage prevention layer covers exposedends of the insulation layer.
 13. The method according to claim 10,wherein, before the step of forming the connection members, the methodfurther comprises removing the first polarized parts from the ends ofthe through-electrodes.
 14. The method according to claim 10, whereinthe step of forming the connection members comprises the steps of:forming a nickel layer onto at least one ends of the through-electrodes;and forming a gold layer onto the nickel layer.
 15. The method accordingto claim 10, wherein the step of forming the connection memberscomprises the steps of: forming a copper layer onto at least one ends ofthe through-electrodes; and forming an alloy layer of tin and silveronto the copper layer.
 16. The method according to claim 10, wherein thefirst polarized parts contain any one of a hydrophilic substance and ahydrophobic substance, and the second polarized parts contain aremaining one of the hydrophilic substance and the hydrophobicsubstance.
 17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the secondpolarized parts contain a hydrophilic substance.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 10, the method further comprises the step of formingadditional first polarized parts onto the other ends of thethrough-electrodes that correspond to the first surface and additionalsecond polarized parts, having a polarity opposite to that of theadditional first polarized parts, onto the first surface excluding theadditional first polarized parts.